
14
CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
them their choice, and told them the manner of the kingdom.
The king was to be chosen by the Lord and anointed by His
prophet. When the Lord's choice was confirmed, it went well
with the nation. When the king was of their own choice, and
one who departed from God, the nation always suffered.
Special instruction concerning the king is found in Dent.
17 : 14-20. He was to be of God's choice; he was to be of the
stock of Israel; he must not multiply horses (an animal espe-
cially dedicated to sun worship); he must not follow the lustful
example of other rulers in multiplying to himself wives and
concubines. It was his "duty to write out a copy of, the law
given by Moses, and to study it, that he might ins
.
truct his
-people in word and example, and thus preserve the kingdom
to the Lord.
7.
THE final result of choosing their own way, to that nation
which began its career so gloriously, was backsliding, extrava-
gance, oppression on the part of their kings, intermarriages
with idolatrous nations, alliances with other nations, till, finally,
that which was once the kingdom of the Lord became utterly
perverted, and the king, who should have been a type of Christ,
was a mere vassal of Babylon. So of him, and of that king-
dom which in a sense was still the Lord's, the prophet said:
"And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is
come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord
God: Remove the diadem; and take off the crown; this shall
not be the same; exalt him that is low,
and abase him that is
high. Perverted, perverted, perverted, will I make it; and it
shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will
give it Him." Eze. 21:25-27, margin. The crown of Judah
was first seized by Babylon, in the very days of the prophet.
Three times again it was " overturned, ' or "perverted,"by
Medo-Persia, Grecia, Rome. It is in the hands of Rome and
earthly governments to-day„and God will no more rule over
an earthly kingdom; there will be no more a true theocracy
or government of God on earth till Jesus Christ comes to reign
as King of kings.
8.
As God has declared by His prophet that He will reign no
more on earth over an earthly kingdom till Christ shall come
the second time, it follows that that kingdom or government
which claims to be ruling in the place of God is blasphemously
assuming authority which does not belong to it. It is a false
theocracy, the government of antichrist. And this has been
the character in modified forms of every idolatrous or Church
and State government which has ever existed apart from the
theocracy of Israel. Behind them all is Satan. Their power is
force. It is not, Do because you love and trust, but, Do be-
cause you shall and must.
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